Revisiting the Corn Nut

Last night at a sneak preview of Jose Garces'new cookbook, the Philadelphia-based chef pulled out an ingredient I normally eat only on long-distance road trips: corn nuts.

Doctored up with a little thyme, Garces' supercharged corn nuts offered a crunchy counterpoint to the soft hominy in his Fried Pork and Warm Hominy Salad, part of an Ecuadorean menu included in the yet-to-be-released book, The Latin Road Home. That crunchy garnish was a refreshing reminder about the importance of texture in a dish. Popcorn and plantains atop a crab ceviche furthered the crunch memo.

I've always been a fan of fried onions on hot dogs and bean casseroles, breadcrumbs on mac and cheese. But corn nuts? Guess I'll have to add them to the list.